Manchester’s Limited Commercial District, highlighted in red.
Town residents generally agree that the town needs to generate additional tax revenue, and that commercial business can provide taxes without requiring much in the way of town services.
A reasonable place to allow development is in our Limited Commercial District (LCD), the area north of Route 128. However, the district was set up with such restrictive regulations that few things could be built there, and very little tax revenue has ever been generated.
Recently, Cell Signaling Technology, a biological research company from Danvers, approached the Planning Board asking us to consider lessening zoning restrictions for the LCD area east of School Street to build a laboratory for scientific research. Laboratories are currently allowed in the LCD in the area west of Pine Street so allowing them in other parts of the district seems to be a logical proposition. The Planning Board has unanimously voted in favor of revising dimensional requirements such as building height, lot width and setback distances to accommodate laboratory uses. Should Cell Signaling Technology proceed with a proposal, it will require a Special Permit and detailed site plan review by the Planning Board. The Board will be discussing bylaw changes at our public hearing on February 28. A change in zoning will require a vote at spring Town Meeting currently scheduled for approximately April 25.
The proposed changes to the LCD district can be found on the Planning Board page of the town website and by selecting Zoning Recodification.
Gary Gilbert
For the Planning Board
